The Risks We Take
by Tanzenkind
Summary: Krasivyi, infamous for her hatred of all Nictus-related lifeforms, has discovered that she is currently hosting a Nictus herself. As such, she's determined to kill it, and in her hate, doesn't think the consequences of her first attempt through.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Risks You Take – alternatively, The Risks We Take

Title: The Risks You Take – alternatively, The Risks We Take.  
Rating: PG-13 – perhaps not for those who are squeamish / are fond of the Hellion-lookalike.  
Characters: Krasivyi, Kira 2 Dope.  
Concept: Just done for a plot.  
Summary: Krasivyi finds out she's got a Nictus. And thusly begins the first in what will likely be a long chain of suicide attempts. And a LOL PLOT TWIST.  
Setting: A rather tall apartment building, Atlas Park, Paragon; date unknown, year 2008, 2:30 P.M.  
Side notes: This is actually quite canon – not alternate universe or a 'what if'. I just wrote it out and posted it here to prevent an attempt to change how things unraveled, as I already know what I intend to do with the characters involved – well, one of them. And for those who are curious, there is a solution to Krasi's problem that doesn't involve suicide: Quantum weaponry would destroy the Nictus, but not the host.

It was never a good thing to hate the body you were in. Or, perhaps it wasn't so much the body, as what was in it, other than her consciousness. Krasivyi's blatant hatred for Nictus-kind had put a dent in her sanity as it was – and then she found out about Baal. She currently had the spawn of Scorpius, the Nictus she hated most of all, using her as a host. The thought made her feel physically ill, to say the least, and she was determined to get rid of the Nictus somehow – even if it meant taking her own life.

And that's where she was right now: Standing on the railing of the odd semblance of a balcony that had come with her meager space in the building. There was a moment of hesitation – and then she simply stepped off the edge. Before the wind whistling in her ears, she heard something else that shouldn't have been there. In fact, she had been praying she wouldn't hear it. A rather stunned girl in what almost resembled Hellion garb had opened the door at just the right moment to see the archer step off the edge and, with a scream of 'Krasivyi' and a brief dose of adrenaline, shot after her, right over the railing; taking the smaller, yet older, girl into her arms protectively. Unfortunately, she hadn't formed a plan as to what she would do _after_ leaping over the rail and snatching up her little friend.

Kira was jumping off a cliff and trying to build her wings on the way down, almost literally. But at the moment, she seemed more interested in keeping herself curled and underneath the confused, upset archer, who proceeded to yell at her over the roaring winds. "What the hell are you doing!?" A moment's pause and Kira actually started to shout back. "I may be weak, but at least I can do this!"

Krasivyi felt awful, the sensation of her stomach having been left up toward the balcony growing much worse as she found that she had, again, hurt someone who cared about her. The twisting, unpleasant feeling grew worse when she managed to catch a glance over Kira's shoulder at the ground that grew ever-closer, and she turned her gaze up to the girl who'd dove off for her – and lost her bandanna in the process, the wind had torn it from her face. "… Don't look down, kid." Somehow, she heard it over the still-rushing winds, and managed a childish grin, though her eyes were tearing up and she could hardly bear to keep them open. Three words came before she hit the concrete, bones shattering like glass, but still miraculously keeping Krasivyi safe: "I'm not scared."

The words continued to ring in the small archer's ears as she managed to shakily stand, eyes wide and legs trembling. How fitting, that the bandanna that had been thought to be lost should flutter down to rest over Kira's face, reminding Krasi of a corpse – no. She wouldn't think like that. Any second now, the girl would stand up, laugh, and just shrug it all off. Any second now…

But even after a minute or two, there was absolutely no movement. Even as Krasivyi made a frantic dash to a pay-phone, even as she quickly dialed the numbers nine-one-one, even as the ambulance arrived and she was lifted into it, even as Krasi stood watching the flashing lights and loud siren fade, that stupid girl had not moved once; and all the girl she had possibly given her life to save – the _real_ "hero", with a decent security level and many missions under her belt – could do was watch the ambulance go, the image slightly blurred by the tears in her eyes. And there she would still stand for a good hour, almost like she still expected the teen to come back, declaring it a joke or 'April Fool's', before she finally gave in and went inside with a heavy heart and a teary face. We all take risks from time to time, often assuming them to be harmless – and if they're not, that maybe only we will be hurt. As Krasivyi learned the hard way, that's not always true.


	2. The Aftermath

Title: The Risks We Take – Aftermath

Title: The Risks We Take – Aftermath.  
Rating: PG-13 – perhaps not for those who are squeamish / are fond of the Hellion-lookalike.  
Characters: Kira 2 Dope, Krasivyi, cameo doctor.  
Concept: Just done for a plot, and to keep certain people from freaking out and murdering me.  
Summary: What happened after Kira became a meat shield on an OVER NINE THOUSAND story fall (if you get that reference, I love you. If not: It wasn't actually 9,000+ stories) for Krasi.  
Setting: A hospital, in Atlas Park, Paragon; date unknown, year 2008, 5:00 P.M.  
Side notes: This is 100 canon, meaning _**yes, it did actually happen, and yes, Kira 2 Dope is going to remain in this state.**_

It was silent, but at the same time it was much too loud. Doctors rushing about, requesting equipment or help with a certain task, machines beeping, phones ringing like mad… but the one that Krasivyi had come to see was quiet, the only sound that she made the audible breathing – that was aided by a machine. This made even a comfortable, every-day, commonplace sound like breathing sound so inhuman and new – it was almost enough to make the archer want to place her hands over her ears. But if she did that, she would have to release Kira's hand, which she just would not do, even though the doctors had asked her to leave so she could 'rest' several times. "She didn't ever wake up after the fall," she'd snapped. And it was true – though her vital signs were still there, and if Krasi moved her fingers up, she could feel a pulse… the blonde girl lying in front of her had not opened her eyes. Still, the doctors tried to get her to leave. That was around the time that an arrow was loosed, embedding itself into the wall next to the poor doctor's head. Nobody had asked Krasivyi to leave after that, and she had no intention of it.

If she had her way, she would just sit here holding Kira's hand, stroking her hair, and talking to her until she woke up, but eventually another doctor came in, asking Krasivyi to go on a walk around the hospital with her while she explained some things, introducing herself as Maevum Maverit. The now quite testy archer agreed, though she hesitated when it came to releasing her friend's hand. As the two left, the younger towhead was pulled off, though Dr. Maverit wouldn't allow Krasivyi to look back or ask where they were taking her. Instead, she began to speak, ignoring any questions Krasi had. "Krasivyi Petrova. Do you understand how serious the extent of injury was?" She didn't wait for an answer, though Krasi inhaled and opened her mouth to speak, "We can't say for sure that she'll be able to use all – or any, for that matter – of her limbs when she wakes up. If she wakes up. Do you understand what I mean, Krasivyi? Your friend is in very bad shape. There's only a slim chance she will die, but it's still present, and we may need to keep her here for a very long time. If you're her guardian, there are some forms we'll need you to fill out. If you're not, then we need to know the family or who is acting as her legal guardian at this moment."

The redhead nodded, fidgeting with her jacket's zipper and staring at the floor like there was a very flat circus on it – or like she was walking on corpses. She could only really think of one thing to say, something she didn't want to do but offered to do anyway. "… Do you want me to call them, Dr. Maverit?" The doctor offered a slight smile as they rounded a corner, though it was absolutely joyless and quite eerie. "We've had a few reports about her before, you know. Self-injury, problems at home, some burns. … If you'd like, you can lie and I'll allow you to get off with playing guardian for a day. What do you say, Ms. Petrova?"

She thought over it, and then finally nodded, managing a smile herself, "Yeah. I think I'd like that." And so the walk continued - past the lobby, where quite a few of the hospital staff and patients had gathered around a small T.V. to watch a recent news report…

"Only a little over two hours ago, the inhabitants of Atlas Park viewed a heartbreaking scene – a young hero by the name of Krasivyi fell from a balcony in her apartment, and the infamous Kira 2 Dope, questioned for her alcoholic and pyromaniac tendencies and a civilian-turned-hero, leapt after her. Lacking super powers or technology, she had nothing to use to save the other hero but her size, and she bravely shielded the falling girl with her own body. Krasivyi is safe and doing well – though cannot be reached for comment - but Kira 2 Dope has been admitted to a nearby hospital, and has not yet opened her eyes. According to the main doctor involved with her, she may be a bit financially short, and may not be able to afford the extensive work being done. If you'd like to make donations to pay for her operations, call us at…"


End file.
